“And it is this lover of yours that has been poisoning your soul with such radical ideas? O, Margaret, beware! you know the old adage men are deceivers ever, and I would not have my Margaret among the lost.”
Margaret turned and looked at Imelda as if a sudden thought had struck her. “I will say no more,” she said; “but I would have you know him, my lover. Will you promise to meet me here next Sunday afternoon at two? I will then take you where you will meet many radicals, and Wilbur Wallace among the rest. There will be a lecture, the subject being, ‘Modern Radical Reform.’ A very interesting discussion is expected. Will you come, Imelda?”
Imelda’s sweet dark eyes were filled with a troubled look, but the searching glance with which she scanned the face of her friend could detect nothing but the utmost purity and truth.
“I will come,” she said.
CHAPTER VI.
Just as the city clocks were striking the hour of two Imelda neared the seat that the two girls had occupied a few evenings previous. Margaret was already awaiting her and a bright smile lit up her countenance when she espied her friend.
“On time, Imelda. I am glad. I feared you might have changed your mind, as I had not seen you at the store for several days. I thought something might have happened to prevent your coming, or that possibly I might have frightened you.”
“Mother has not been feeling well. That explains my absence. As to changing my mind, I had given you my promise. Do you not know me sufficiently well by this time to know that I never willingly break it?”
“Forgive me, dear,” said Margaret, as she drew her arm through Imelda’s. “I did not mean to imply you were fickle-minded, as some girls often are, but you will admit that our conversation of a few evenings ago would be a stronger test than most girls would prove equal to. But” (looking at her watch) “we will have to walk rapidly if we would be on time. I never like to enter after the meeting has been opened; it always creates more or less of a disturbance.”
The girls walked briskly to the car, then rode about thirty minutes when another five minutes walk brought them to their destination. The little hall was already well filled, and as Margaret led the way up the aisle, she was greeted with smiles and nods from all sides. It was apparent that she was well known and it was at once observed that she was accompanied by a stranger. Many were the admiring glances bestowed upon the beautiful girl. However, there was not long time for conjecturing who she might be, as a rap upon the desk soon called the meeting to order. A tall, dark man of perhaps thirty years had arisen. Imelda thought she had rarely, if ever, seen such piercing black eyes, which accompanied by a dark, heavy moustache, gave the speaker a somewhat fierce appearance, as in a clear, strong voice he began: